Cumbria Choice

Eden District Council

LOCAL LETTINGS POLICY

Sandersons Croft, Kirkby Thore

 

Introduction

 

Eden Housing Association has identified Sandersons Croft, Kirkby Thore as an estate with potential issues in the following areas:

 

• There is a limited number of people on the waiting list
• The cost of repairing empty properties and rechargeable repairs is high
• There is a high level of property turnover (20%)

 

A number of people who move to Sandersons Croft have been from out of the area and perhaps not had a full understanding of the village and then wanted to move once they have relocated to the area, therefore creating a high turnover of properties.

At present Eden Housing Association endeavour to make the best use of their stock by not under-occupying any of the properties.  There are only 3 bed houses available for social housing rent in Kirkby Thore, therefore couples and single people are currently not eligible for housing in Kirkby Thore

The estate comprises of 45 Social Rent properties and the remaining 22 properties privately owned.

 

Aims of the Local Letting Policy

Eden Housing Association’s aim is to create sustainable communities by using a local lettings policy which gives priority to local people.  We will ensure there is a good mix of residents in terms of age, sex, household groups and economic status.  Shortlists will be drawn using the afore mentioned criteria using Eden District Councils Allocations Policy and Eden Housing Associations Allocations Policy.

Eden District Council’s and Eden Housing Associations allocations policy will still be applied to all applications that are received, however, priority will be given if:

 

• The applicant currently lives in Kirkby Thore (“The Area”)
• The applicant has previously lived in Kirkby Thore for a period of at least 6 months
• The applicant works or is securing permanent work in Kirkby Thore
• The applicant has immediate family member living in Kirkby Thore (mother, father, brother, sister, son or daughter)

 

If there are no applicants on the Housing Register that satisfies the above criteria, the area may be widened to Eden.

In order to encourage local people to live on the estate, vacancies may be advertised in the local papers to generate an interest in the properties.

In an attempt to offer local people housing in Kirkby Thore, a 3 Bed House may be under-occupied by a single person or a couple.

Review

The Local Lettings Policy and the impact of it will be reviewed after a period of 2 years.